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(No, Model.) 3 Sheets-sh zet 1.

W. P. BRAUN. GAR COUPLING. No. 405.457. Patented June 18, 1889.

QQiJ waooan eM bo'c yw (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. F. BRAUN.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 405,457. Patented June 18, 1889.

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(No Model.)

7 3 ShegtsSheet 3. W. P. BRAUN.

GAB COUPLING.

No. 405,457! Patented June 18, 1.889;

w-i kweooco 5 51 fii abbot N. PETERS. Phnlo-lilbogmpmr. Washington. RC4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. BRAUN, OF N EIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

' TO THE CONSOLIDATED COUPLING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,457, dated June 18, 1889.

Application filed March 19, 1889, Serial No. 303,830. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM F. BRAUN, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new 5 and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings;

. and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification,

to and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has special reference to the construction of vertical plane couplers of the style generallyknown as the Dowlin g coup- I 5 ler.

The invention consists more particularly in certain details of construction, whereby the coupler is improved and made better able to meet the conditions required in practice.

My improvements may be divided into three parts: First, that relating to the configuration of the couplerthat is to say, the mathematical and geometrical lines upon which it is formed; second, the mechanical relations of the movable knuckle with the draw-head, and, third, the latch and locking pin employed with the draw-head and knuckle.

Figure 1 shows twocouplers in the position they would occupy when coupled. The lefthand coupler is shown in horizontal section and the right-hand in plan view. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line a: y ,2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an elevation of the latch or locking pin. Figs. 4: and 5 are transverse sections of the lock- 3 5 ing-pin, respectively, on the lines 0c and g y of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a front elevation showing the coupler attached to a car, and also showing, incidentally, a mechanism which may be employed for operating the locking-pin. Fig.

40 7 is a side elevation of the coupler attached to a car. Fig. Sis a view in perspective of the movable knuckle detached from the drawhead Fig. 9, a diagram. showing the manner of laying out my coupler.

5 A represents the draw-head, which may be of any suitable material, preferably malleable iron or cast-steel. At one side of the drawhead is an arc-shaped slot B, located between the walls B and B Near the outer end of 5o the wall P, is the cylindrical projection C,

which forms the center of rotation for the knuckle D. At about the center of the wall B, which is concentric with the projection C,

I arrange the semi-cylindrical vertical opening E, semi-cylindrical over its middle portion and through that part which is carried through the bottom plate F of the draw-head.

In the top of the draw-head and in line with the opening E, I provide the cup-shaped projection G, rectangular in section. The arc- 6o shaped opening B in the body of the drawhead has the shoulders H H formed on the top and bottom plates, which shoulders are located by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, and are concentric with the projection C or inner face B of the draw-head.

-I represents an opening formed through the top and bottom plates of the draw-head and through which an ordinary pin may be dropped for the purpose of connecting the draw-head through an ordinary link with a common drawhead, should the knuckleD be in any manner injured as to render it unfit for service.

The top and bottom plates of the draw- 7 5 head are provided with the shoulders J, which form a bearingsurface for corresponding shoulders 011 the knuckle D, and which serve to resist a portion of the buffing-strain in the axial line, or in a plane corresponding thereto of the axis of the coupler.

The knuckle, Fig. 8, may be of any suitable material, preferably, however, of forged wroughtiron. The knuckle consists of the coupling-hook D and the stem D. The curvature of the stem is the same as that of the arc-shaped recess B in the coupling-head. The surfaces D D are concentric with the projection C of the draw-head. In the surface-D of the stem I provide the vertical depression D which when the knuckle is inserted in the draw-head fits over the projection C. Opposite to this depression is the vertical depression I), which registers with the opening E of the draw-head. On this 5 same face is the horizontal slot D, similarin depth to the vertical slot D", and carried back and ending in the stem D, and in the top and bottom of the stem are the shoulders 1) D which correspond to the shoulder H in the draw-head. To insert the knuckle into the draw-head, itis necessary to bring the end of the knuckle well to the side on which the ori: fice B is located. The shoulders D D take under the shoulders H of the draw-head and bear thereon, so that when traction is exerted on the end of the knuckle all the strain (the latch-pin not being inserted) is borne by the shoulder H of the draw-head.

K K are buffing-shoulders on the knuckle, which when the knuckle is closed bear upon the shoulders J J of the draw-head. The motions of the knuckle are in the arc of a circle, the aXis of the circle being the center of the part 0. The outer face of the knuckle D I prefer to make oval in shape and to correspond with the interior buffing-face A ofthe draw-head. My object in making the face of the knuckle of this shape is twofold-to have it conform to the cavity of the drawhead, and, second, to decrease the leverage of the knuckle-stem for a buftingblow, In other words, the buffing-point is carried near the fulcrum C.

The locking device consists of a verticallymoving pin L, Fig. 3, which is made to conform in shape to the opening G through the draw-head. The pin is square at the top M, cylindrical at N and O, and semi-cylindrical at P and Q. The part M corresponds to the opening G, the cylindrical portion to the opening E, and the semi-cylindrical portion at the bottom of the pin to the openingF in the bottom plate of draw-head. At P and Q the pin is cut away, which leaves part 0 projecting as a lug from semi-cylindrical surface P and Q. The part 0 corresponds to the horizontal slot D of stem D of the knuckle.

The operation of the pin will be readily understood. hen the knuckle is in position shown in. Fig. 1, the openings E of the drawhead and D of the knuckle correspond and the pin "drops to the position shown in the dotted lines, Fig. 2, thus providing a bearing for the shoulders D and D on the cylindrical portion of the pin. When the pin islifted to the position shown in Fig. 2, the lug O'corresponds to the slot D and as the knuckle is moved outward in uncoupling the lug 0 moves in the recess D until it strikes the solid portion of the stem and the end of the slot,thereby limiting the motion of the knuckle. The object in making the pin square at the top and semi-cylindrical where it passes through the bottom plate is to prevent the pin from turning wit-h the movement of the knuckle, and by means of the semi-cylindrical section of the body of the pin it just fills the spaceE in the wall B, and the knuckle moves over it. The advantage of this construction over other forms of pins is that vertical motion of the pin is very much reduced.

R represents a lug on the top of the pin, through which there is a hole S, by which a chain T may be connected and united to a le yver U, which may be actuated by a lever V on the side of the car.

gards each other when in use.

One of the most importantfeatures of my invention consists in the method employed for determining the mathematical and geometrical lines upon which the coupler shall be constructed.

Referring 'to Fig. 9, a a represent the line ,of draft, and Z) Z) and c 0 lines parallel to and eight inches therefrom. cl d is a line at right angles to a a, and is the line upon which the inner or traction surfaces of the knuckles meet. The knuckles, as will be seen, are straight on their inner face and curved on their outer face. e and f f are lines drawn parallel to d d and eight inches therefrom.

The precise distance of the lines d d and c c from a a or e e and ff from d I do not state as essential or consider as affecting the general design. The dimensions given are, however, those which I consider the most desirable and best adapted to meet the required conditions of strength, adaptability to the car, and the various motions of the car. Through the point on at the intersection of the lines a a and (Z (Z draw the line g g at an angle of sixteen and one-fourth degrees with the line a a, and fix the points y therein on each side of the lines (Z d and one and one-half inch therefrom at right angles from these points as centers, and which may properly be consideredv as the centers of motion of the coupler as re- 00 or, touching the line d d, so that this line will be tangent to both arcs. These arcs, it will be observed, form the end of the knuckle. Draw the lines it h on both sides of the line a a and fifteenth-sixteenths of an inch therefrom, cutting the line g g at h. \Vith h as a center continue the curved line from m by drawing the are w m :0 00 being equal to 0: 00 and thereby determining the curvature of the buffing-surface of the knuckle. Vith the point j at the intersection of the radius h :0 and the line d d as a center, draw the are 00 ou in continuation of the curve, locate the center of motion of the hookthat is, the knuckle as regards the headat the point 0, six inches from the line a a and two inches from the line (1 (Z. From 0 as a center, with a radius of five-eighths of an inch, draw the circle .2. Now, with a radius of four and one-half inches from a draw the are m 00 as a continuation of the curve reversed from the are m 00 touching it at as and touching the circle .2. Taking a radius of two and one-half inches, continue the curve by drawing the arc a? reversed to the are m 00 and touching it at and the line 0 c at 00. Returning to the point 20 on the line at (I, lay out one and oneeighth inch on each side to find the points at, from which, with a radius of one and fivesixteenths inch, draw the are 10 10 terminating at a point one-half an inch from the line (I d. From the center y continue the curve from 10 to 20 a point 011 a line 10 10 draw through the centery at an angle of thin teen degrees with a line 9 g, and thus forming the hollow which receives the end of the Draw the arc knuckle-in other words, the buffing-face of the draw-head. Make the distan ce w? 3 equal to 10 y, and with w as a center continue the curve from by drawing the are 10 U77 equal in angle the are 00 m of the knuckle. The angle of the are 10 10 made with a line a a, is an angle of seventy-seven degrees, and is the same as the angle made by the are x x with the line g g. This angle provides a motion for the jaws within the head of thirteen degrees, which is the greatest angle that will ever be required in practice, assuming that the radius of any curve upon which the cars to which the coupler is fastened are employed will not be greater than thirty degrees. Continue the curve from by drawing the curve 10 10 with a radius of four inches from the center j. Draw at the intersection of the lines (1 (Z and b b the nose a, with a radius of onefourth of an inch. Continue the curve from 20 by a reversed curve with a radius of four and one-fourth inches, touching the curve of the nose a at it, the line 0 o and ff, also the lines 6 c and b I), having a radius of two and fiveeighths inches. These lines f f and Z) Z), also the lines 6 e and c c, are connected by the two curves 20 10 and 10 10. The curve 20 w commencing on the line f f or e 6, four and one-fourth inches from the line a a, its radius is two and three-fourths inches and extends ninety degrees. The curve 10 and 10 connects the curve 20 and to with the curve of the nose a. Its radius is seventeen inches.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head having an are -shaped slot formed therein, of a movable knuckle provided with an arc-shaped stem and a buffingface substantially oval in shape, and the crown of the oval at about the center of the buffingface, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head having an arc-shaped slot formed therein and the arc-shaped top and bottom bearing-shoulders, of a movable knuckle provided with an arc-shaped stem, and the bearing-shoulders on the top and bottom of said stem, which register with the shoulders of the slot, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupler, the combination, with a draw-head having an arc-shaped slot formed therein and-a semi-cylindrical vertical opening for the locking-pin, of the movable knuckle provided with horizontal ribs 011 the arcshaped face of said knuckle-stem, and a semicylindrical vertical opening for the lockingpin in the body of said stem.

4. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head having an arc-shaped recess formed therein, of a movable knuckle provided with an arc-shaped stern having ribs on the arc-shaped face of said stem, and a locking-pin square at the top and cylindrical at its upper and middle portions and semi-cylin drical between its upper and middle portions and at the lower portions of said pin.

5. As a latch-pin for a car-coupler constructed substantially as specified, pin L, square at the top, cylindrical at N and O, and semi-cylindrical at P and Q.

6. In a car-coupler, substantially as specified, a latch-pin hole square at the top and substantially concentric with the curved inner surface of the recess in the coupler-head, said latch-pin hole contracted at the bottom of the coupler-head to a sen1i-cylindrical form and lying entirely outside of the path in which the jaw moves.

7. In a car-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head provided with an arc-shaped slot, of the movable knuckle having an areshaped stem and oval buffing-face, the crown of the oval at about the center of the buffingface, and a straight or substantially straight traction-face.

8. I11 a car-coupler, a draw-head the plane of the curvature of the buffing-face of which is at an angle of seventy-seven degrees with the axis of said coupler, substantially as set forth.

9. In a car-coupler, a knuckle the plane of the curvature of the buffing-face of which is at an angle of seventy-seven degrees with a line drawn through the center of said knuckle, or the point from which the are which determinesthe shape of the end of the knuckle is.

struck, substantially as set forth.

10. In a two-part car-coupler the parts of which are identical in construction, the combination, with the draw-head the angle of the buffing-face of which is seventy-seven degrees to the axis of the draw-head, of the movable knuckle the angle of the buiiin g-faces of which is seventy-seven degrees with a line drawn through the center of said knuckle, whereby the angle of movement of the couplers relative to each other is one hundred and thirtydegrees, substantially as set forth.

WILLIAM F. ERAUN.

Witnesses:

MELVILLE CHURCH, JULIUS G. KNUTH. 

